CERTIFIED: Knocked down

Certified follows a group of aspiring CPAs on their journey to prepare for and take the CPA exam. This is part one of Kimberly Price’s story, starting in August 2016. Read part one of her journey to the CPA exam.

When Kimberly Price walked into the testing center to take the Audit (AUD) section the first time, she hadn’t finished studying because some unexpected family matters came up that needed her attention.

The second time around with AUD, despite feeling better prepared and receiving a higher score, she did not pass.

Once she saw her failing score, Price said “it was a moment of self-pity.

“You just think ‘oh no,’ because you worked so hard and put in so many hours and it’s this moment of deflation,” she said.

She said the results of the exam were the opposite of what she expected, in that she scored better on the simulations and not as well on the multiple-choice questions. She described the multiple-choice questions as “tricky,” and said she’ll adjust her studying accordingly.

Despite not passing, her outlook remains optimistic. Although she gave herself time to feel disappointed, she doesn’t intend to wallow.

“I’m trying not to let it affect me,” Price said. “The night I found out I didn’t pass, that was a short study night. But you have to experience the emotion – otherwise it overpowers you.”

Now she’s looking toward Business Environmental Concepts (BEC). Studying for different sections means different strategies, and after studying AUD for so long she’s still getting used to the transition to BEC.

“It’s a weird and nervous feeling; I wonder if I’m studying the right way for this section.” she said. “I know I didn’t study quite the right way for AUD, will it be the same for BEC?”

Her Reynoldsburg home is in the process of being sold, so Price and her husband are packing up and moving to a new apartment. The move is taking up a lot of her free time, so she’s using breaks such as her lunchtime to study.

It’s common for candidates to observe that the CPA exam is a marathon, not a sprint, but Price acknowledged it is nevertheless tough when you aren’t seeing the progress you want.

“It’s one big test and you spend so many months studying to prepare for it. When you don’t see anything out of it there are definitely nights where you think, is it worth it?” she said. “But it’s definitely worth it.”